retatrutide

The pharmacological race against obesity continues to advance with the aim of finding a drug that allows weight loss in a simple way, and among the examples that we have on the table right now, Ozempic stands out. But now science is advancing a new active ingredient that in the first studies points to a average weight loss of 30.3% in 104 weeksa threshold that has never been crossed with other treatments and that can set a great precedent. The essay. The protagonist of this story is the retatrutida, and it promises to set a great precedent after this essay published by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. To understand the clinical magnitude of the finding, we must go to the basis of the study of the trial called TRIUMPH-1which has been specifically designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of retatrutide in adults who are obese or overweight. In addition, it has also analyzed the effect on patients who have associated diseases. How has it been achieved? Overcome the barrier that other very important treatments such as Ozempic or wegovy It is something that attracts a lot of attention, and the key to retatrutide lies in the mechanism of action. And while semaglutide (active ingredient in Ozempic) is an agonist of a single receptor, which It is GLP-1retatrutide acts as a triple agonist. That is, the molecule is capable of coupling to three hormonal receptors: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. This triple pathway not only slows gastric emptying, suppresses appetite and improves insulin secretion, but direct stimulation of the glucagon receptor appears to increase basal energy expenditure. The latter is vital because, in addition to drastically reducing intake, it pushes the metabolism to burn more energy at rest. And this is the key. A predictable escalation. This is something that could already be seen that was going to arrive at some point, since previous medical literature already talked about the effects that this triple agonist could have. For example, in phase 2 of the trial, retatrutide had already demonstrated average weight loss 24.2% at 48 weeks with the maximum dose of 12 mg. But the key has come with the extension of the follow-up time up to 104 weeks, which has been the missing piece of the puzzle to verify if the therapeutic effect stagnated or if the patient continued to lose body mass with prolonged use. You have to be cautious. In an accelerated and highly competitive sector of pharmacology focused on obesity, it is necessary to know that this figure of 30.3% comes directly from the pharmaceutical company itself and not from a scientific source that has had a review behind it. Although the design of the trial is perfectly planned and the history of the clinical program provides a solid basis, there is still the publication of the definitive scientific article to analyze the “small print” and what logically does not want to be disseminated from a commercial perspective. It will be at that moment where key points can be revealed, such as, for example, the safety of this molecule and the exact metabolic impact. Images | freepik In Xataka | Ozempic’s great challenge is the rebound effect. Science already has two promising solutions to avoid it